
The scorching heatwave relentlessly gripping the state for over a fortnight has resulted in the loss of two lives. Confirming the tragic incident, the special relief commissioner’s (SRC) office announced on Monday that a 50-year-old man succumbed to sunstroke in Dhenkanal district, marking the second reported fatality. Earlier, on April 19, the government had acknowledged the first sunstroke-related death in Balasore district.
According to SRC officials, eight suspected sunstroke deaths have been reported from various regions of the state and are currently under investigation. Among these cases, Balangir district accounted for three, with one each reported from Cuttack, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, and Kendrapara.
Health department authorities reported that approximately 257 individuals were hospitalized due to sunstroke or heat-related ailments across Odisha. Sundargarh recorded the highest number of cases at 60, followed by Mayurbhanj with 40 cases and Khurda with 36. In Khurda district alone, 18 patients are receiving treatment at the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar out of the total reported cases.
Meanwhile, temperatures soared across the state, with 32 locations recording temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or higher. Baripada experienced scorching temperatures of 44.8 degrees Celsius, surpassing normal levels by 7.3 degrees Celsius.
Angul registered a temperature of 44.3 degrees Celsius, Boudh at 44.1 degrees Celsius, and Talcher at 44 degrees Celsius. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded temperatures of 41.3 degrees Celsius and 42.5 degrees Celsius, respectively, significantly exceeding normal levels.
The relentless heatwave has disrupted normal life, with no relief in sight, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) cautioned that the intense conditions would persist throughout the week. Umasankar Das, a scientist at the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, warned that maximum daytime temperatures are expected to remain well above normal by 3 to 6 degrees Celsius in certain districts of Odisha over the next four to five days, due to prevailing dry air and high solar radiation.
Das further predicted that severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist in certain parts of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday, exacerbating the already challenging situation.